Bian Che wasn’t entirely comfortable driving a right-hand-drive car in Hong Kong, and by the time he stepped out, a trace of irritation still clung to him. He carried a half-empty bottle of mineral water in his hand, unscrewed the cap to take a sip, then tossed it back onto the passenger seat with a careless flick.
The Koenigsegg was eye-catching enough on its own, but coupled with its tall, long-legged owner, it instantly drew a flurry of restless stares. Before the car door even shut behind him, an auction house employee rushed over, breathless, offering fawning greetings in clumsy Mandarin. The mainland’s aloof young master remained indifferent, his expression cool.
The heat was unbearable, the air thick and stagnant. Sweat quickly beaded at the nape of Bian Che’s neck. With one hand tucked in his pocket, he half-listened to the auction agent, exuding a lazy, unbothered charm. His fitted white T-shirt and black pants accentuated his lean, striking figure.
Lately, his mood had been foul.
Next month was his grandmother’s eightieth birthday, and his mother had thrust a stack of socialite photos at him, insisting he pick a few for arranged meetings—claiming the "best birthday gift would be a granddaughter-in-law." Work was already exhausting enough; the last thing he wanted was to dine with a parade of plastic beauties. He’d much rather endure the disdainful glares of a certain prideful little thing, except she’d been hiding like a mouse, impossible to pin down.
Apart from personally delivering those scandalous photos on the first day, Bian Che hadn’t made any further moves. He knew Ye Shengsheng well—just the news of him being blackmailed was enough to keep her awake at night.
Coming to Hong Kong to bid on a birthday gift for his grandmother was purely to escape his family’s nagging. He never expected to run into Ye Shengsheng here.
Bian Che lifted his gaze, a flicker of surprise in his dark eyes as they locked onto her. His lips curled unconsciously. "What are you doing here?"
The little mouse who’d been avoiding him for days had just walked right into his path. He couldn’t tell if it was his luck or her misfortune.
Ye Shengsheng stood before him, arms crossed, a pair of sunglasses perched on her nose. Her voluminous hair was loosely tied back, a few stray strands brushing against her delicate, jade-white neck.
He remembered just how tender that skin was, how easily it marked. His throat moved slightly.
Unaware of the indecent thoughts in his head, Ye Shengsheng’s gaze involuntarily flickered to the set of ruby jewelry in his hand. Her tone dripped with danger: "Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?"
She refused to believe in such a cursed coincidence.
Bian Che caught her meaning. With a deliberate click, he snapped the jewelry box shut in front of her, his lips quirking. "The look on your face makes me wonder if I didn’t legally win this at auction, but robbed a jewelry store instead."
"You know nothing about jewelry. Why buy it?" Her disdain grew, lacing her voice.
Bian Che truly had no deep appreciation for gems—he’d just picked the cover lot on a whim.
Red. Festive.
Who knew the one driving up the bids would be her?
Feigning ignorance of her sarcasm, he replied flatly, "You’re right, I don’t know much about jewelry. But..." His fingers tapped lightly on the box. "I do know about investments."
Asset preservation worked that way—beyond real estate and cars, jewelry and art were key investment avenues.
But Bian Che was blatantly lying. The Bian family had a dedicated Hong Kong office for wealth management; if this were a real investment, professionals would’ve handled it. He wouldn’t be casually "lighting the sky lantern" at an auction.
His lazy, teasing voice curled around her ears like a provocation.
In the past, Ye Shengsheng would’ve stormed off without a second thought. But for these pigeon’s blood rubies...
She’d endure.
Under the scorching sun, they stared each other down. Ye Shengsheng swept her bangs back and forced an uncharacteristically pleasant tone: "I really like this set. Can you let me have it?"
Bian Che remained idle, thumb and forefinger rubbing together as if weighing the dilemma.
Just as her patience thinned, he finally stepped forward, closing the gap between them to mere inches. With deliberate slowness, he held up two fingers. "Since you’re so sincere... how about 190 million?"
Her face darkened instantly. "Why don’t you just rob me?" she snapped through her sunglasses.
This man always played dirty—adding 70 million out of nowhere.
Bian Che shrugged. "I’m not that keen on selling anyway. Besides, you already owe me 70 million. This is a no-profit, conscience-friendly price."
"Bastard." A flush, rose-like, bloomed across her cheeks—whether from anger or the sun, it only made her more dazzling.
Her heels pivoted sharply, and she turned to leave, her chest heaving. One more second here, and she’d explode.
Before she took three steps, Bian Che yanked her back by the elbow. Irritated, she shook him off. "What now?"
He didn’t know why, but watching her bristle never failed to amuse him.
Sunlight caught in her hair, scattering tiny glimmers. He looked down, voice laced with mockery. "Leaving just like that? Don’t want the rubies anymore?"
"190 million! Do I look like a fool to you?"
"Money really ruins relationships," he mused, lips tilting. "But you know me—I’m always happy to help."
Ye Shengsheng studied his expression, barely suppressing the urge to roll her eyes behind her shades.
Bian Che grabbed her hand—her palm soft and slightly damp—and pressed the jewelry box into it. "My grandmother bought this for her future granddaughter-in-law. If you want it, take it."
Her entire side went numb. Was this a horror story?
She slapped his hand away, rejecting the box. "No thanks."
Bian Che leaned in, voice dropping. "After seeing that video of us at the hotel, she insisted I get this gift. Next step’s a formal proposal at your family’s doorstep."
"You’re insane," she hissed.
"Blame Luo Ziming. He sent those photos to my family’s estate. My grandmother has a weak heart—almost fainted. No amount of explaining worked. So now, you’re my sacrifice."
His tone feigned helplessness. "You’re partly responsible for this mess. If I ‘come out’ as gay, someone might actually die."
Ye Shengsheng knew how precious Bian Che was to his family. He wasn’t an only child—his older brother, Bian Jiang, had congenital heart disease and lived abroad for treatment. While the family doted on Bian Jiang more, Bian Che was the true heir.
A flicker of guilt crossed her face, but she quickly steeled herself. "Trouble finds trouble. I refuse to believe you can’t handle Luo Ziming."
"Seven million isn't much, but I don’t want to leave any leverage out there," Bian Che straightened up leisurely, as if he had already given it careful thought. "Given our families, an arranged marriage is inevitable. Since there’s no love involved anyway, we might as well make do with each other."
She was speechless, her eyes filled with resistance. "Who wants to make do with you? I can’t stand you..."
A car honk echoed through the parking lot—Ye Shengsheng’s business vehicle had arrived. The driver, noticing the tension between the two, assumed she was being harassed and swiftly unbuckled his seatbelt to step out. Meanwhile, Bian Che remained as unhurried as ever. "Your engagement with Zhu Ze hasn’t been called off yet, and Uncle Ye went to Qintian Group today to secure investment. Why do you think he’s acting behind your back? The financial gap in the Zhu family isn’t something just anyone can fill..."
Their gazes locked tightly, and he watched the panic flicker in her eyes before pressing further. "Think about it—doesn’t that make me a little less unbearable?"
Ye Shengsheng didn’t answer. The driver finally reached them, his eyes darting between the two. "Miss Ye, are you alright?"
"I’m fine."
She turned away, refusing to look at Bian Che, and got into the car, suppressing her anger.
Bian Che stood where he was, watching the car start up and pull out of the parking lot, Ye Shengsheng’s profile flashing past him in a blur.
He tossed the jewelry box carelessly into the storage compartment, then glanced sideways to see the auction house’s proxy bidder standing nervously nearby, as if he’d stumbled upon some scandalous gossip.
Bian Che raised an eyebrow lazily. "Something on your mind?"
The proxy bidder scratched his head. "Do you know that lady?"
Bian Che gave a half-hearted hum in response.
The proxy clicked his tongue regretfully. "Had you two coordinated beforehand, the bidding wouldn’t have driven the price up so high."
Bian Che studied him, a thought occurring. "Next time your auction house has quality jewelry, contact my assistant in advance."
The Toyota Alphard moved in fits and starts through traffic, the cabin silent the entire way.
Ye Shengsheng stared blankly out the window as rows of towering buildings slid past, her mind adrift.
The hotel wasn’t far—right on Victoria Harbour—but Hong Kong’s traffic was abysmal. What should have been a short drive took nearly an hour before the driver finally dropped her off.
After checking in, Ye Shengsheng pulled out her phone out of habit and sent a WeChat message to Ye Huaisheng: Arrived at the hotel, followed by her location.
The room had been booked in advance, offering a panoramic view of Victoria Harbour.
Once she’d settled her luggage, Ye Shengsheng went to the bathroom to draw a bath. She removed her hairpin, running her fingers through her locks while distractedly scrolling through her phone with her other hand.
After a while, the sound of running water faded—the tub was half-full, and Ye Huaisheng still hadn’t replied.
Normally, she wouldn’t care if he took hours to respond. But today was different. Bian Che’s words had struck a nerve, sending her thoughts spiraling out of control.
Would breaking off the engagement with Zhu Ze really deal such a blow to the Ye family?
Ye Shengsheng turned off the faucet and stepped into the tub. The warm water enveloped her as she opened her browser, searching for answers.
News about the collaboration between the two families spanned over a dozen pages—proof of how heavily their partnership had been publicized at the time. The Ye family was a publicly listed company; even the slightest ripple could affect their stock prices. No matter how much she wanted to remain the pampered heiress, deep down, she understood the gravity of the situation.
Ye Huaisheng might keep things from her—and even from her mother—but there was one person who wouldn’t.
She grabbed her phone again, found the contact labeled Aunt, and pressed call.
A cruise ship glided across Victoria Harbour outside.
After two rings, the call connected. Ye Shengsheng cleared her throat. "Auntie, are you busy?"
...
"No, it’s just that Dad’s been swamped lately, but he won’t tell me why."
...
"Calling off the engagement doesn’t mean cutting ties completely, right? Doesn’t the Zhu family still need us?"
...
"Okay, thanks, Auntie."
The bathroom mirror had fogged up, blurring the view outside. She set her phone down weakly, biting her lower lip in silence.
So everything Bian Che said was true.
